Ebyafaayo bya Samuel Ajayi Crowther

Samuel Ajayi Crowther ajjukirwa mu mannya abiri, era gombi ga mazima. Erisooka, Àjàyí, yaliweebwa mu kibuga eky'Abayoruba ekiyitibwa Osogun nga mu mwaka gwa 1809 — erinnya ab'omu maka lye bawa omwana azaalibwa ng'atunuulidde wansi, omwana, nga bwe baali bakkiriza, eyalondebwa olw'ekigendererwa eky'enjawulo. Eryokubiri, Samuel Crowther, yaliweebwa ku kidiba ky'okubatizibwa mu Sierra Leone mu 1825, erinnya ery'Olungereza eryawolebwa ne liteekebwa ku mulenzi Omwafirika eyali amaze okufiirwa ka buli kimu omuntu ky'ayinza okufiirwa, naye mu ngeri emu nga tannafiirwa kukkiriza kwe mu bulamu. Wakati w'amannya ago gombi weegalamidde olumu ku lugendo olusinga okwewuunyisa mu byafaayo bya Kkanisa: okuva mu lunyiriri lw'abaddu abasibiddwa emiguwa okutuuka mu kkanisa enkulu, okuva ku mulenzi eyawaanyisibwa embalaasi okutuuka ku bisoopu Omwafirika asooka mu kkanisa ey'Abaanglikani, okuva ku musibe atasobola kusoma okutuuka ku musajja eyasooka okuwa Abayoruba Bayibuli yonna mu lulimi lwabwe.

Obwana obwamenyebwa ne buggulwa

Yazaalibwa mu nsi ya Oyo mu kitundu ekiri kaakano mu bugwanjuba obw'obukiikaddyo bwa Nigeria, mu maka agaalimanga, ne galuka engoye, era nga gasinza bakatonda ab'edda. Bwali bwana bwa bulijjo, obuteefu — okutuusa lwe bwalekera awo okuba bwe butyo. Mu 1821 entalo ezaali ziriisa obusuubuzi bw'abaddu obw'oku nnyanja Atlantiki zaatuuka ku Osogun. Abalumbaganyi Abafulani n'Abaoyo baalumba ekibuga, ne bakyokya, ne batwala abantu baamu nga basibiddwa emiguwa. Àjàyí, ng'alina emyaka nga kkumi n'ebiri, yatwalibwa ne nnyina ne muto we omuwere, n'atambuzibwa mu bajjajja ne baganda be n'abagwira, bonna kaakano nga baafuuse bya kutundibwa.

Emyaka mingi oluvannyuma, ku kusaba kwa Church Missionary Society, yawandiika ebyaliwo mu bbaluwa empanvu, eteeteefu mu ngeri ey'ekitalo — bumu ku bujulizi obutono ennyo obw'omuntu yennyini obukwata ku lugendo olw'emmeeri z'abaddu okusomoka ennyanja, obwawandiikibwa omusajja eyaluwonako. Tanyiiga. Apima ebigambo bye. Ajjukira bulungi engeri olunaku ensi ye lwe yakoma bwe lwali, era mu kiseera ekyo yali amaze okuyiga okulusoma mu ngeri bbiri mu kiseera kye kimu.

Okuva mu kiseera kino nteekwa okubala olunaku olw'ennaku, naye kaakano lwe nnayigirizibwa, mu ngeri endala, okuluyita olunaku olw'omukisa, lwe siigenda kwerabira mu bulamu bwange. Nduyita olunaku olw'ennaku, kubanga lwe lunaku lwe nnafulumizibwa n'obukambwe mu nnyumba ya kitange, ne njawulwa ku b'oluganda lwange.

— Samuel Ajayi Crowther

Ekyaddirira kwali kutundibwa okugenda okukka. Yayisibwa okuva ku mwami omu okudda ku mulala ku makubo g'obusuubuzi, omuwendo gwe nga gugenda gukendeera nga bw'agenda atwalibwa okwolekera ennyanja. Mu kibuga kimu, ng'awandiika awatali kwesaasira, kyakkaanyizibwa nti awaanyisibwe embalaasi; oluvannyuma yaddamu okuwaanyisibwa taaba n'omwenge ogw'amaanyi. Yali mulenzi nga yeetunuulira ng'afuuka ssente. Obuyinike bw'ekyo bwali bunaatera okumutta — n'omukono gwe ye. Mu kizikiza ky'ekimu ku bifo ebyo mwe baakuumirwanga yagezaako okwetuga emirundi egisukka mu gumu n'alemwa, era oluvannyuma n'ategeera nti okulemwa okwo kwali kisa ky'atasaba.

Okununulibwa okuva mu nnyanja

Ku lubalama lw'ennyanja yatundibwa eri abasuubuzi Abapotugiizi n'ateekebwa mu mmeeri y'abaddu. Yali amaze essaawa ntono zokka ng'ali mu yo, nga batwala okumaliriza obulamu bwe mu buddu mu Brazil oba Cuba, emmeeri bwe yakwatibwa West Africa Squadron eya Royal Navy — emmeeri HMS Myrmidon — eyali eyigga abasuubuzi b'abaddu wansi w'ekiragiro kya Bungereza ekyaggalawo obusuubuzi obwo. Abasibe ne baggibwamu, era mu kifo ky'okutwalibwa mu nnimiro y'abaddu, omulenzi n'atwalibwa e Freetown mu Sierra Leone, ekitundu ekyatandikibwawo okuba amaka g'abo abaasumululwa. Yasamba ettaka mu 1822 n'ayingira mu kisa eky'ekyewuunyo: si njegere, wabula essomero.

Church Missionary Society yamusembeza, n'emuliisa, n'emuyigiriza ennukuta. Yayiga Olungereza mangu era oluvannyuma n'akwaayigira ddala, n'atandika okusoma Ebyawandiikibwa — okusooka ng'ekintu eky'okwewuunya, oluvannyuma ng'ekintu ekimusaba obulamu bwe bwonna. Mu myaka egyo egy'e Freetown, omulenzi eyali awonye obuddu obumu yajja okukkiriza nti yali anunuddwa mu buddu obulala obw'omunda ennyo.

Nga mu mwaka ogw'okusatu okuva lwe nnasumululwa mu buddu bw'abantu, nnakakasibwa nti waaliwo embeera endala ey'obuddu embi n'okusinga, kwe kugamba, obw'ekibi ne Setaani. Kyasanyusa Mukama okuggulawo omutima gwange.

— Samuel Ajayi Crowther

Nga December 11, 1825, yabatizibwa omuminsani wa CMS John Raban n'atwala erinnya ly'omusumba Omungereza gwe yali tasisinkanangako, Samuel Crowther. CMS bwe yaggulawo Fourah Bay College emyaka ebiri oluvannyuma okutendeka abasomesa n'abasumba Abafirika, ye yali omuyizi waayo asooka ddala.

Omusumba, omwami, omuyivu

Mu 1829 yawasa Asano, munne eyali asumululwa mu buddu, eyatwala erinnya Susan Thompson ku kubatizibwa kwe; obufumbo bwabwe bwali bugenda okumala okusukka ekitundu ky'ekyasa. Crowther n'afuuka omusomesa era katekisita, era buli eyakolera naye yalaba ekintu kye kimu: obwongo obw'obugumiikiriza n'obw'okutuuka ewala mu ngeri ey'enjawulo, naddala mu nnimi. Yatandika okwekebejja olulimi lwe olw'obuzaaliranwa n'aluwandiika — amaloboozi, amateeka g'olulimi, n'engero — omulimu nga tewali n'omu eyali agugezezzaako.

Mu 1841 CMS yamugatta ku Niger Expedition eyavaamu ennaku, olugendo olw'okwambuka omugga omunene okusimba obusuubuzi n'Obukristaayo mu kifo ky'obusuubuzi bw'abaddu. Omusujja gwazikiriza ab'e Bulaaya abaaliko; bangi ne bafa. Crowther yawona, era ekitabo ky'ennaku kye yakuuma kyali kya kwetegereza era kya bwannyonnyofu nnyo, ne kimuwa erinnya mu London. Ekibiina ne kimuleeta mu Bungereza, ne kimutendeka okusingawo, era ku Ssande ya Butukuvu, June 11, 1843, yawongebwa okuba kabona — omusumba Omwafirika asooka mu Kkanisa ey'Abaanglikani.

Ekigambo ekyafuuka Oluyoruba

Ng'amaze okuwongebwa, yakyuka n'atunuulira eka. Mu 1846 Yoruba Mission yeetandikira mu Abeokuta, era eyo obulamu bwa Crowther obuwanvu ne buddayo ku bwennyini mu ngeri nga tewali muwandiisi wa nfumo ayinza kugigunja. Mu bantu b'ekibuga yasangamu nnyina ye yennyini, Afala, gwe yali ayawuddwako emyaka amakumi abiri mu etaano emabega. Ku ntandikwa, tewali n'omu ku bo eyasobola kwogera.

Tetwasobola kwogera bingi, wabula twatuula kasirise, nga tutunulaganako emirundi mingi n'okwagala, okwagala emyaka amakumi abiri mu etaano kwe kwalemererwa okuzikiza.

— Samuel Ajayi Crowther

Yayita okusisinkana okwo ekirabo ekisinga byonna Mukama bye yali amuwadde. Oluvannyuma nnyina yabatizibwa n'ayitibwa Hannah, ne mwannyina naye n'abatizibwa — omwana eyali omusibe n'afuuka ekkubo ery'obulokozi bwa nnyina.

Awo ne wajja omulimu ogwandiwangadde okusinga byonna bye yakola. Crowther yeewaayo okuvvuunula Ebyawandiikibwa ne Book of Common Prayer mu Luyoruba, ng'azimba amateeka g'olulimi n'enkuluze y'ebigambo omulimu ogwo bye gwali gwetaaga, ng'atandikira ku bwereere. Ekigambo ku kigambo, olugero ku lugero, yasomosa Bayibuli n'agituusa mu lulimi nnyina lwe yamuyimbanga — yonna, ye Bibeli Mímọ́, eyamalirizibwa wansi w'obulabirizi bwe mu myaka gye egy'enkomerero. Olulimi olwali luwandiikiddwa mu bitabo by'abasuubuzi b'abaddu ng'omuwendo, kaakano lwafuulibwa olusobola okutwala ebigambo bya Katonda. Lumu, bwe yaleetebwa mu maaso ga Namulondo Victoria, yamusomera Essaala ya Mukama mu Luyoruba, era kigambibwa nti yayogera nti eddoboozi lyalwo lyali ddegevu era lya kuwooma. Omulenzi eyatundibwa embalaasi kaakano yasaba, mu lulimi lwa nnyina, mu maaso ga Namulondo w'obwakabaka amaato gaabwo ge gaamununula.

Okufuulibwa bisoopu

Ku lunaku lwa St Peter, June 29, 1864, mu Canterbury Cathedral, Samuel Ajayi Crowther yatukuzibwa okuba Bisoopu w'Ebitundu bya Niger — bisoopu Omwafirika asooka mu kkanisa ey'Abaanglikani. Oxford yamuwa ddigiri ya bwakatondekulu mu by'obwakatonda. Kyali kitiibwa kya waggulu ennyo, era yakyambala nga bwe yayambalanga buli kimu, mu kasirise. Yakuŋŋaanya abaweereza Abafirika okumwetooloola, n'awonga abasumba Abafirika, era n'azimba obuminsani obwali, mu ntekateeka yaabwo, okukulemberwa Abafirika ku lwa Afirika — ekintu ekyo kyennyini ebibiina by'obuminsani bye byali biyogeddeko nti kye byali byetaaga.

Okutoowazibwa okuwanvu

Wano we butuukira ebyafaayo bye ne bizikiza, era obwesigwa busaba nti kiyogerwe. Crowther bwe yakaddiwa, omulembe omuggya ogw'abaminsani abato Abazungu ne gutuuka ku Niger, abasajja abaakolebwa obwegumo obukalubo obw'ebbala ery'olususu obwa ku nkomerero y'ekyasa eky'ekkumi n'omwenda. Tebaakkiriza nti Omwafirika asaanira okukulembera. Mu myaka gy'e 1880 baalumba obuminsani bwe — okukebera ebitabo by'ensimbi, okuloopa okw'obutakwata bulungi mirimu n'obukumpanya obwateekebwa ku bakozi be Abafirika, okugobwa n'okuyimirizibwa ku mirimu, kinnoomu, okutuusa abasajja be yali atendese lwe baagobebwa ne badibwamu Abazungu. Omulimu gw'obulamu bwonna ne gumenyebwa mu maaso ge.

Yandisobodde okulwanyisa n'ebyokulwanyisa eby'okwemulugunya, era tewali yandimunenyezza. Teyakikola. Ng'omusajja eyeekweka, ow'eddoboozi eddegevu, teyafuba nnyo kuddamu bulumbaganyi obwatuumibwa ku bantu be, era mu 1890, erinnya lye ery'obwesigwa nga likyali kkalu, yawaayo obuyinza bwe mu kitiibwa abamuloopa kye bataatuukako. Waliwo obulumi obw'enjawulo mu kulemesebwa abo abalina okubeerawo kwabwe olw'ettaka lye watereeza, era Crowther yabuwulira mu bujjuvu. Naye yali afuuliddwa omuddu naye n'atafuuka wa busungu; yali afuuliddwa bisoopu naye n'atafuuka wa malala; era kaakano, ku nkomerero, teyandikkirizza basajja abatono kumufuula mutono. Yeeyongera okusaba, n'ayeeyongera okuweereza, n'akuuma amaaso ge ku Katonda eyaggulawo omutima gwe mu Freetown emyaka nkaaga emabega.

Ku lunaku olw'enkomerero olw'omwaka gwa 1891 — December 31 — Samuel Ajayi Crowther yafiira mu Lagos olw'okukwatibwa obulwadde bw'obwongo, ng'alina emyaka nga kinaana mu ebiri. Abasajja abaali baggyeewo obuminsani bwe ne bawa obubisoopu obwaddirira Omuzungu. Naye omusango gw'ebyafaayo ogw'omunda ennyo gwagenda ku luuyi olulala. Bayibuli y'Oluyoruba gye yakola ekyasomebwa; ekkanisa ey'Ekyafirika gye yakakasa nti eyinza okwemalirira kaakano nnene okusinga bye yalowooza; era omulenzi eyawaanyisibwa embalaasi assibwamu ekitiibwa okubuna essemazinga ng'omu ku bakadde b'okukkiriza kwalyo. Yali mutuufu ku lunaku lwe yawambibwa okuva olubereberye. Lwali, mu buli ngeri eyasembayo okuba ey'omugaso, olunaku olw'omukisa.